Queen Elizabeth’s Absence Felt At King Charles’ Coronation

King Charles III’s coronation was marked by many touching tributes to his late mother Queen Elizabeth II.

The historic ceremony Saturday was Britain’s first coronation since Elizabeth was crowned 70 years ago. Charles immediately ascended to the throne following his mother’s death in September at the age of 96.

As Charles was crowned alongside his wife Queen Camilla at London’s Westminster Abbey, many royal watchers noted the absence of the beloved late monarch.

“If anything, I think the queen’s absence was felt more than anything,” royal expert Shannon Felton Spence said in an interview.

“We are not used to not having her in those spaces. To have a ceremony like that and not have Queen Elizabeth II there is still strange to see. Her absence was felt.

“For the past 10 years, she has very intentionally been moving Charles into those spaces (like the opening of Parliament) so that we would be accustomed to seeing him there, but she couldn’t have prepared us for not having her there.”

Elizabeth was the longest-serving monarch in British history. She ascended to the throne at the age of 25 after her father King George VI’s unexpected death in February 1952. Her coronation took place 14 months later in June 1953.